Note that I’m not talking about events in the order in which they appear in the book. The book jumps back and forth in time and between various in a rather irritating way, if you’re trying to blog it, and I don’t include all the details, just the ones that interest me.

Book opens with a ten year old Eigetsu living with the doc in Koku Province. Anyway, everyone in the village dies of a mysterious sickness, which seems to be spread by the mountain foxes, who normally live at very high altitudes, but due to the unusually early winter, had come down to feed. People who catch it die from liver failure. This sickness is not transmissible from human to human, and has a latency period of a couple of months, after which there is an outbreak. The actual reason behind this is because it’s a parasite found in the feces of the snow foxes, and Japanese wikipedia told me the author said she based it on this disease. Which was featured in House. XD

Eigetsu is heartbroken at his benefactor’s death, and calls on Yougetsu to revive him. This happens at the cost of some of Eigetsu’s twenty years of life (Eigetsu survived the illness because had made, at four years old, a contract with Yougetsu, promising him around twenty years of life at the most, and after that, “Eigetsu” will disappear, and presumably Yougetsu gets the body; this is because now Yougetsu really controls it. Yougetsu is a separate entity from Eigetsu, and took up residence after the contract, it seems. So, it seems that Eigetsu is a complete personality, even if he is described as a “fragment.”). Yougetsu resurrects Dr. Ka Shin (which is his name. He is the successor to a famous medical clan, and a famed doctor), by giving him half Eigetsu’s soul.

BTW, just because it pleases me to say it, I want to once again repeat that Eigetsu is a ZOMBIE.

Anyway, in the present the same thing is happening in a village in Sa Province. Eigetsu springs into action and sends a letter to Shuurei, asking her to gather doctors and materials and send them over to Sa Province. In a later scene, Eigetsu discusses his relationship with Yougetsu with Kourin, and tells her that since Dr. Ka died in August, it means he might only have a month or so left. He also confesses his love to Kourin. Eigetsu, BTW, doesn’t know what Yougetsu really is; he’s much stronger than Eigetsu, and aside from being worldlier, stronger at fighting, and good at drinking, also possesses vast knowledge. After Eigetsu left the village, many people were interested in Yougetsu, and tried to get him to come out. This eroded Eigetsu’s lifespan, especially because it seemed as though people preferred Yougetsu to him, so he felt unnecessary, until he met Shuurei and co. Eigetsu tells Kourin to forget him and be happy, even if in his heart he wants her never to forget him, and rides out to the village. Ensei is rather annoyed that Eigetsu has just run out like that, because it means he needs to be governor in his absence. Also, there’s a weird cult that is claiming that the sickness is divine punishment for the king installing a female governor, and to appease the immortals and first emperor, they must sacrifice her, and due to the untreatability of the illness, they’re becoming more popular. So, Ensei sends a letter warning Shuurei about this. Anyway, Eigetsu goes to the area affected, where we learn that the Jyasenkyou (Sect of the Evil Immortals) has figured out a way to avoid the sickness, by boiling the contaminated water. When Eigetsu learns of this, he swears he will never forgive them. He then treats people, until one day he sees… Ka Shin? And then runs into the mountains after him.

Ryuuki is all ^_^ because he got to spend time with Shuurei, and Ran Shuuei looks on cheerfully. Then, Yuushun comes to visit; although Ryuuki was worried he’d be angry (because at first Ryuuki pretended to be useless), Yuushun seems to have forgiven him. Ryuuki says that he realized why his father left Sa Province alone for ten years: to allow Yuushun’s talent to develop, because before he lacked backing and experience, and was in danger of being crushed. Now, Ryuuki offers Yuushun the position of Prime Minster, which is currently vacant. This position is second in rank only to that of the Three Advisors (that would be Shou Taishi, Sou Taifu, and Sa Taiho.), and would make him in charge of all of the officials. Plus, he’s the only person who can deal with those two troublesome ministers. Yuushun basically says he needs to finish what he was doing in Sa Province first. (I told you Yuushun was important.)

The Hyou clan: They know about the sickness, and plan to make use of it. The Hyou clan leader is paying attention to Eigetsu for some reason, and he also plays Shuurei a visit, which is cut short by Shouka running in. The Hyou clan leader really, really doesn’t like Shouka, and the feeling is completely mutual. He accuses Shouka of stealing Bara-hime, making Shusui into an assassin, etc. He tells Shouka that he puts on the mask of a good person, when in fact left behind his conscience in his mother’s womb, as the firstborn son of the Kou family, and that he has never met, in his long lifetime, someone more characteristic of the Kou family. He then says that Shouka no longer has his youth or Bara-hime, to which Shouka replies that the same is equally true of him. Hyou clan leader also implies that he killed the previous Black Wolf, and says that Shouka can’t kill him, because last time, he barely escaped with his life. (They apparently live somewhere other than Kiyou) The leader knows that Shuurei isn’t Bara-hime, but he still wants her.

I honestly wonder why Seiran uh… doesn’t tell Shuurei about the danger of the Hyou clan when she asks him point blank what clan has the seal of the many-colored clouds under the full moon. [And I am rather WTF about Shuurei's convenient ignorance again.] You’d figure out that if the Hyou clan was after someone, it would be uh… helpful to tell them about it, like even the name of the clan? Hmm? Shuurei is not one to open forbidden doors, but honestly, if it concerns her, it’s not prying. Seiran has Ran Shuuei tell Ryuuki to investigate the Hyou clan. Seiran’s seriousness surprises Ryuuki, who at first doesn’t seem to think much of the leader’s appearance. The Hyou clan always works behind the scenes, in periods of misrule, often manipulating everything unbeknownst to most. Even with the help of his three top guys, it took the previous king decades to suppress the Hyou, and because nothing was public, he couldn’t really execute him. It seems only the Wolves of the Wind could deal with them, and even that was with many sacrifices. Although Shuuei says the Hyou Clan has remained silent for years, Seiran questions this, and Shuuei reprimands him. (!) I really wonder about this. Ryuuren knew that the leader was in Kiyou. So it seems as if Seiran thinks he’s hiding something. Why is Seiran so worried about the Hyou clan? Did Shouka tell him that much about his past?

Actually, before this, Kouyuu is pondering Kurou’s words. Kurou is indeed going to tell Shuurei, but Shouka stops him, and tells him that a) now is not the right time, b) stop interfering, because he and Reishin will handle this, and c) it’s too early anyway and Shuurei isn’t thinking about marrying. He tells Kurou to stop worrying so much, because if necessary, he’ll become head, work until he’s a hundred, and pick from among the grandchildren (…). Kurou agrees to hold back, but says he still believes this is the best idea. (It’s said that Kurou is a very, very convincing debater. When Shouka says “but you know… this is going to mean that Reishin will be her father in law!” At first Kurou is “….. (gya!!!) ,” but then he fires back with “she’s the only person who could handle having Reishin as her father in law,” to which Shouka is left speechless. XD ) Kurou also meets Kokujun, who is rather petrified by his gruff manner. (Although, despite this, Kurou is skillful in making himself liked by small children, which Reishin envies (and thus another reason for his attitude). He brings Shuurei some tangerines from the main house, because as a small child, she liked them. Shuurei is surprised to hear she once was at the main house; I have no idea whether she lived there or it was just a visit. )

Also, when Shuurei is looking for Yuushun, she runs into Hakumei who is half-dead from overwork. The Civil Admin bureau is swamped, and although Reishin is talented enough to be able to finish it all quite easily, as Shuurei has heart, doesn’t really care, and thus everyone is dying. Hakumei reveals to Shuurei that his boss is a member of her family, (Oh Shuurei, why are you so badly informed?), but is stopped by a mysterious tangerine. Haha. Later, Shuurei mentions to Yuushun (after being given more tangerines) that she hopes that this relative of hers stops being such a slacker, after which Reishin does buckle down and finish the work. This allows Kouyuu to later bump into Shuurei, where he comes to the epiphany that right now he’s happy as he is, so it seems he doesn’t really want to marry Shuurei, I’m guessing.

Later, Shuurei meets Governor Kai Yu, of Koku Province. After the war for the succession, Koku province, usually filled with many unruly warriors, was especially disordered, but Governor Kai cleaned it up. He is over eighty and has had a long and illustrious career, and he when he was young, he was really hot, so it says. (It also says he doesn’t talk like an old man, and when he praises Shuurei, she thinks it’s the first time an old man made her heart speed up.) [Saiunkoku: Land of the Disturbingly Hot Old People. Okay, maybe Shou Taishi and the Hyou clan leader don't really count because even if they are old, they look young.] Gov. Kai gives her Dr. Ka’s books. In the course of the conversation, she learns of Eigetsu’s impending doom, and receives his letter about the sickness. Shuurei goes to the palace doctors, and with Kan Hishou and Ouyou Gyoku, and Kokujun, they learn from Dr. Ka’s books that the only way to treat the disease is surgery. However, now that Doctor Ka is dead, the only person who knows how to do surgery is Dr. You, who is secretly the Yellow Immortal and the one who actually first taught surgery to Dr. Ka’s legendary ancestor Ka Da (we later learn that she was eventually killed when she tried to perform surgery on the king, because they thought she was trying to kill him). There’s a problem about manufacturing equipment, but Sai Rin agrees to take care of it. Shuurei then goes to the All Merchant’s Association, which had previously refused to see her.

Using Dr. Ka’s books, which are full of useful information, Shuurei gains leverage to have the association underwrite the aid mission. (And well, there’s also the threat of an imperial edict.) She also tells them that Kai Yu will become the next governor of Sa Province, and he agrees with the university plan. People knew that Shuurei would not be governor for long. It was partially a trap laid by Ensei and Yuushun to lure out the Sa clan in hopes that they would do something dumb, and worked quite well. Shuurei and Eigetsu served as cover for their scheme. The merchants didn’t want to meet with her because since Shuurei’s term wouldn’t be very long, what mattered was the next governor. But now that they know of Kai Yu’s approval, they agree to be partners.

Shuurei and Yuushun go to the court, where she is criticized by officials for the not going through official procedures, but she argues that she must take these steps because people are dying. Anyway, she disputes with them and comes out on top, but some officials repeat the slanders of the cult, and Ryuuki is angered, reminding people of the previous king, putting on an especially scary expression. Despite the bad PR, Shuurei says she still will return. Ryuuki then proposes sending the army to deal with the cultists. (Question, is the Uringun the same as the national army? There also seems to be a provincial army) But Shuurei tells him that doing so would simply breed distrust among the people, and that all she needs for a bodyguard is Ensei, who won’t raise suspicion as a civil official. Following this are some scenes in which Shuurei vents her distress about being blamed for the sickness to Shouka (a heartwarming scene), and Kouyuu tells Reishin that he’s happy as he is, and so he isn’t going to agree to Kurou’s plans, and sides, there’s always Hakuyuu. Then, Ryuuki and Shuurei meet, and Ryuuki asks her once again to marry him, is refused, and tells Shuurei that if she dies, he’ll consider himself a widower and never remarry.

This volume is full of action, but the real stuff comes later. I’m curious about just what the Hyou clan is really doing, and such. I guess I don’t have too much to say, because this is just the first part of the arc? It’s called the Eigetsu arc, but honestly, in this one, it’s mostly about Shuurei.